Portable corral



Oct. 3, 1961 D. J. GALAMBA 3,002,493

PORTABLE CORRAL Filed Dec. 18, 1958 2 Sheets-Sheet l I Q a W i INVENTOR.

Donald J. Gal/amber.

D. J. GALAMBA Oct. 3, 1961 PORTABLE CORRAL 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Dec. 18. 1958 k INVENTOR.

Dona/dd. Galomba.

ATTORNEYS.

nited States This invention relates to a portable corral, and more particularly to a sectional fence structure which may be transported from place to place to enclose stock therein preparatory to loading in trucks or the like or for other purposes.

The principal object of the present invention is to provide a sectional fence structure having end posts engageable with ground posts whereby the sectional fence structures may be removed from the ground post structure and transported and reset to form a corral for stock and the like.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide ground posts set close together and secured one to the other with their'upper ends extending above ground a short distance and provided with transverse openings; to provide sectional fence structures having end posts engageable over the ground posts and having lateral openings in their lower ends for receiving a pin or the like for securing the sectional post structures to the ground post structures; to provide the sectional fence structures with longitudinally spaced rails having their ends secured to the end posts and brace means on said sections; to provide the ground structures in a manner whereby the post of one end section may be secured thereto and the post of another fence section may be secured to the same ground structure with only a slight space therebetween; to provide means for securing the tops of the respective ends of the fence sections together; to provide a swingable gate in one portion of the corral having a chute with swingable sections for movement of the stock therethrough to the corral; to provide the corral with a gate in the opposite corner for ingress and egress of the stock or for driving of vehicles therein as desired, and to provide a gate on the chute portion of the corral.

Other objects of the present invention are to provide a portable corral of tubular construction whereby the posts of the fence sections will engage over the posts of the ground sections and to provide a device of this character simple and economical to manufacture.

In accomplishing these and other objects of the present invention, I have provided improved details of structure, the preferred forms of which are shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

P16. 1 is a top plan view of the corral embodying the features of my invention showing the gates and part of the chute structure in open position, the dotted lines indicating the closed position.

FIG.'2 is a cross-sectional view taken on a line 2-2, FIG. 1.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a portion of the fence structure and the swingable gate with the ground broken away to illustrate the ground members therein.

FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective view of the ground members and posts of the fence sections, partly in cross section, shown in disassembled relation.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view through the posts and ground section particularly illustrating the pins for holding the same together and taken on a line 5-5, FIG. 2.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken on a line 66, FIG. 3, particularly illustrating the swinging gate structure.

Referring more in detail to the drawings:

1 designates a corral embodying the features of my invention comprising a plurality of fence sections 2 con ice.

sisting of end posts 3 and 4 and longitudinal parallel without departing from the spirit of my invention. The

tubular bars 5 may be secured together at substantially their centers by a cross member 7 also welded to the bars.

5 to lend rigidity to the structure. The lower ends 8 and 9 of the end members 3 and 4 of the fence sections extend below the lower bar 5 thereof, and they are adapted to engage and be sleeved over ground posts 10 and '11 set in the ground as indicated at 12 in any suitable manner and secured together by spaced cross members 13, 'as. illustrated in FIG. 4, to assure proper spacing of the end' sections of the fence sections and also to lend rigidity to.

the structure and retain the same in proper relation.

' While I have here shown the ground posts 10 and 11 to be set in the ground, it is also possible to utilize my 7 invention by sharpening of the lower ends 14 and 15 of the posts and drive them in the ground by suitable equipment (not shown).

The upper ends of the posts in and 11 are provided with transverse openings 16 and 17 adapted to align withtransverse openings 19 and 20 in the lower ends 3 and 9' of the end members 3 and 4 of the fence section so that when the lower'ends'of the end members are sleeved over the ground post members, the openings therein will align with the openings 16 and 17 for receiving pins 21 and 22 to retain the sections on the posts. Aligned openings 19' may be used when a corner connection as at 26 (FIG. 3) becomes necessary. If desired, cotter pins or the like (not shown) may be engaged in openings 23 in the ends of the pins to retain the pins in place.

24 designates a gate swingable on an end member post 3' of a fence section 2. The gate is made substantially similar to the fence section 2 except the end members 25 and 26 do not extend below the lower rail 27 as in the fence sections. The gate also has a diagonal brace 28 to lend rigidity to the structure. The end member 3' of the gate section is provided at substantially the upper and lower ends in alignment with the upper and lower longitudinal members with outwardly extending lugs or brackets 29 and 30 and are provided with openings as indicated at 31 (FIG. 6) for receiving hooks 32 and 33 on the end member 26 at substantially the upper and lower end thereof, the hooks being welded to the end member as indicated at 34 (FIG. 6).

The fence sections 2 are placed in end to end relation as is desired for any size corral, and when the end member 4 of the fence section 2 is in place, it will be spaced from an end member 35 of another fence section 36 so that the upper ends of the posts will be in close relation but spaced slightly thereapart as indicated at 37 (FIG. 2). In order to lend rigidity to the fence sections and prevent them from spreading apart or being moved transversely to one another any great distance, I provide a U-shaped locking member 38 having one leg 39 engaging in the top of the end member 4 and the other leg 40 engaging in the top of the end member 35 (FIG. 2).

Any shape corral may be made, such as hexagon, round, square or rectangular. In FIG. 1, I have illustrated a substantially square structure 41 composed of several fence sections 2 and a gate 42 in one side thereof, and in the opposite corner a smaller gate 43 leading to a chute 44 wherein two of the fence sections are placed in spaced parallel relation and then are joined by pivotal sections 45 and 46 for extending outwardly to provide a large space for movement of the stock into the chute or runway to enter the corral. The outer portion of the Fatented -Qct. a, reel,

3 chute 'or runway is provided with spaced posts 47 and 48 to which the pivoted sections 45 and 46 may be secured and a gate 49 is pivotally mounted on the post 47 for closing the end 50 of the chute or runway as shown in dotted lines.

It will be obvious that for the posts 47 and 48 only one member such as the member 10 or 11 need be utilized. The same is true for the posts 3' at the end of the pivoted section 42, the post 51 opposite thereof and the posts for mounting of the pivoted sections 45 and 46 as indicated at 52, FIG. 3. 7

It will be obvious from the foregoing that I have provided a corral or closure structure for stock or the like which may be transported from place to place and quickly and easily assembled. The ground members 10 and 11 1 may either be moved or new ones set at the new location. The gate or pivoted section 42 is provided for easy access to the enclosure by trucks or the like for cleaning or other purpose.

It will be further obvious that I have provided an improved structure of this character which is versatile and of easy construction and may be constructed from a variety of materials and of a variety of shapes to suit the particular purpose desired.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

A corral structure of the character described comprising, a plurality of fence sections having vertically extending tubular end members and a plurality of elongated horizontally extending spaced rigid bars connecting pairs of said tubular end members, the bottom of said tubular end members being open, posts adapted for being vertically embedded in the ground, said posts being arranged in spaced pairs, the bottom of said tubular end members being adapted for sleeving over said posts and being rotatable thereon, vertically spaced horizontally extending post bars rigidly connecting the posts together in said post pairs, said post bars being located on said posts a substantial distance below the upper ends of said posts whereby said post pairs may be embedded in the ground with the upper ends exposed for receiving the bottoms of said tubular end members, the lower ends of said tubular end members having a plurality of aligned pairs of transverse openings therein spaced radially therearound the upper ends of said posts having transverse openings for aligning with the transverse openings in said tubular end members, pins engageable in certain of said openings in the tubular end members and the openings in said posts for holding selected sections in a desired adjustable angular position with respect to the next adjacent section, and members selectively engaging the end members on the upper ends thereof for holding the upper ends of the end members in spaced relation.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,330,404 Sommer Feb. 10, 1920 2,279,840 Robinson et a1. Apr. 14, 1942 2,517,386 Cooper Aug. 1, 1950 2,669,434 White Feb. 16, 1954 2,723,107 Parker Nov. 8, 1955 

